Til We Meet Again
by Arylwren
Summary: *CHAPTER 2 IS UP!* TK is thousands of miles away, what's going to keep him and Kair together?
1. Til We Meet Again

Disclaimer: Besides the fic itself, nothing else is mine…etc, etc, etc 

~*~*~

            She stared into his cerulean blue eyes which sparkled with unshed tears, trying to memorize his face to every last freckle, forever engraving it in her mind. The others had left them alone, retreating to the central waiting area, understanding their need for privacy. A small sob burst from her chest and she threw herself at him, pressing her face to his chest. He wrapped his strong arms around her and buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo, never wanting to forget. "Why do you have to go?" she whispered even though she knew the answer.

            TK looked at her and tried to grin, but this time it was an expression of regret and sorrow. "I'm sorry Hikari-chan. You know I don't want to leave you, but well…" His voice trailed off as he shrugged.

            She lowered her head guiltily. Yes, she had already known that TK's mom had gotten job in New York so he had to leave. But she had asked anyway, secretly hoping that TK would change his mind at the last moment and choose to stay with her instead.

            TK smiled woefully, knowing exactly what she was thinking and wishing that there was some way he could stay too. He tilted her head up with a finger, gently cupped her cheek with his hand and kissed her lips, savoring the scent of her, the taste of her. Kari's large beautiful eyes brimmed over and tears spilled down her cheeks like a waterfall of sparkling diamonds. TK finally pulled away from her as a flight attendant announced the departure of his plane. 

"I promise I'll write and call," said both of them at the same time. They smiled at each other and laughed but their laughter soon died on their lips. Kari gave TK one final passionate kiss. "I love you Takeru…"

He kissed her back just as passionately. "I love you too, Hikari."

With their proclamation of love still hanging in the air, TK walked towards the terminal gate. As he was about to board the plane, he looked back and saw Kari still standing there with tears rolling down her face. "Will you wait for me?" he asked.

"I'll wait for you forever," she promised.

TK smiled and gave a final wave, "Then, til we meet again."

~*~*~

            As she watched TK disappear into the darkness of the tunnel, Kari felt a feeling of emptiness grow in her heart, threatening to consume her from the inside. She turned to stare out of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows nearby, watching TK's plane pull away from the terminal, slowly make its way to the runaway and at last, take off. She had no idea how long she stood there, staring at the empty space where his plane used to be until she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hey," said Tai kindly, "we were getting worried about you."

            Kari was surprised at how much time had passed. Now the afternoon sun no longer shown through the glass panes. Instead, the deep blue ocean of stars was just about to overwhelm the last vestiges of day in a clash of brilliant hues of blue, red, purple and oranges. In the distant sky, a gleaming star twinkled once and then disappeared into a sea of darkness.

            Casting a last forlorn look behind her, Kari turned away from the airport window and walked with her brother to where the others were waiting. A somber, melancholy mood settled over all the Digidestined as they walked to where Sora's dad was waiting with the car. Not even Davis made any wise cracks about TK's departure because all of them felt too keenly to a degree of what Kari was feeling. As she climbed into the mini-van, she cast one last thought out into the endless sky. _Til we meet again._


	2. Thousands of Miles Away

Kari sat on the window seat of her apartment, staring at the distant skyline of the city where lights twinkled and shone brightly through the darkness. TK had been gone for a whole day now and the emptiness in her heart just seemed to grow and grow. She gave the phone on the table next to her a long wistful look and turned back to the window. Suddenly, the phone rang, shattering the silence. Kari jumped up immediately and grabbed the phone. Tai rolled his eyes at her eagerness although he grinned in understanding and her parents smiled indulgingly. "Hello?" came the voice over the phone, faint and indistinct.

            "TK!" exclaimed Kari, recognizing his voice despite its distortion because of the distance.

            "Hey Kari," he replied, his voice filled with love.

            For a moment, the two of them said nothing, sharing the moment in silence. TK didn't need to say anything for her to know that he missed her and she knew he understood her feelings too. Kari bit her lip to keep herself from crying and decided to break the silence. "So, how's New York?"

            "Considering I stepped off the plane a couple of minutes ago and it's seven in the morning here as well as raining, there's not much to see," TK replied dryly, "Unless, of course, you want me to describe the airport to you…"

            Kari smiled and although she couldn't see him, she was sure he was smiling too. She was touched that the first thing he did when he got off the plane was to call her but as she looked at the clear, dark skies over Tokyo, she was reminded of how far apart they were. She sighed softly, but nevertheless, TK heard it. "Oh Kari-chan," he sighed as well, "I know this isn't the way things were supposed to be…with you in Tokyo and me halfway around the world, thousands of miles away. I promise, I'll come back as soon as I can…"

Kari's throat tightened as she whispered huskily through her welling tears, "I know you will…I love you."

"I love you too."

~*~*~

Days passed, then weeks. Every night, Kari would sit by the phone, waiting for TK to call, and every night he would. They talked until he had to leave for school and then they'd pick up where they left off the next day. TK talked abut his new school, his mom's new job and the city; about how everything was so different, but at the same time so similar. Kari updated him on news at school and the antics of the other Digidestined and their Digimon. Occasionally, Gatomon and Patamon would talk too after TK had to leave for school. Kari was the first one to know when TK made his school's basketball team and TK was the first to celebrate Kari's captainship for her team. TK had a picture of Kari in her captain's jersey that she had sent him on his locker at school and on Kari's desk, she had a picture of him standing in front of the Statue of Liberty.

            Months went by and the nightly phone calls became shorter and shorter, as TK had to get to school early for practice. Soon their number dwindled too. He called every other day, then every week, then every month. Their conversation became more and more stunted as TK talked about people Kari had never met before and Kari talked about others whom TK hadn't really known either. Kari had gotten a card and present for her birthday and she sent one for his but they accepted the fact that their lives no longer intertwined like it used to. She no longer had that lost look in her eyes that marked the first few weeks of his absence and the only thing that remained the same was their habitual exchange of "I love you".


End file.
